A Promise of Salvation makes me stay
by Kelpie the Thundergod
Summary: series of drabbles. focuses on VxW but also features other characters.
1. Face to Face

**A Promise of Salvation makes me stay**

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Title borrowed from The Holy Hour – The Cure

Pairings: VxW

A/N: series of drabbles (100 words, **not** counting the title or song lyrics used). Inter-connected ones will be marked or posted in one chapter. Feedback is highly appreciated!

**Face to Face**

Face to Face

In a dry and

waterless place

He's dreamed and dreaded that moment so often now, it's more of a certainty than anything else. Fear, Anger, Doubt, fighting for dominance, while he'll stand there, _here. _Staring into the unblinking, merciless eyes of his brother, whose gaze will knife its way into his very soul, catch, unravel and _spread_. But he _can't _give in, without these emotions, what's left to distinguish the two of them?

Maybe, if Vash is quick, neither of them will ever find out.

Come on, take me away

Come on, take me home

Home again

***

A/N: Lyrics taken from The Unforgettble Fire - U2


	2. Mask and Eyes

**Mask and Mirror**

Vash isn't really one for pretending. He's too honest, too self-reflexive. Too _aware _and entirely too sharp-sensed for that. But what 9 times out of 10 proves useful, sometimes sets people off. Terrifies, angers them. So far, there have always been ways to deal with that, of course. Loneliness, booze and dark rooms, to only name what's on top of the list.

Except from smiling and playing the fool in order to play normal, he never pretends.

He doesn't do excuses. He's always going to do whatever it takes. Do the right thing.

At least, that's what he tells himself.

**Eyes to the front**

When Wolfwood appears, Vash keeps on pretending that he doesn't pretend. Except that there's this nagging voice in his head whispering 'Look, you fool, it doesn't work', and it's really frustrating, because Vash can't pin down _why. _Nothing's changed. Still, he grudgingly notices, time and time again, how he's second-guessing himself more than before.

The priest, on the other hand, took one good look at him and figured it all out. He doesn't seem to care one way or the other, though.

In the end, Vash realizes what it all means. But to stop pretending, it's too late by then.


	3. answer me

**Answer me (but stay silent)**

He's standing next to the wall, smoking himself to death, oblivious to Vash's staring.

It's ridiculous really. He never would have imagined... but well, that doesn't matter know. The better part of Vash's life has been about finding answers to various topics – living with humans, _keeping_ humans alive, Knives' fucked up plans, life in general – but this, he has no idea what to do about this.

Scowling, the cigarette dangling from his mouth lazily. And Vash is _sure_ he could lick the answer to his question from those lips so he keeps smiling to keep his own busy.


	4. The party

**The party just gets better and better**

The priest's gun, pressed to your brother's throat.

Nick's dark eyes, anger and fear. Knives, grinning as if the both of you'd just handed him over the planet.

„Now Vash, isn't that great? Because he _loves _you, he wants to kill me. Selfishness _and _murder – what are you gonna do? Kill _him_? _Us_?"

The gun in your hand trembles alongside with your arm, your body, your soul. In your head, _her _words are echoing.

_Make a choice, Vash. I got you a present. Left or right hand?_

_Make a choice, Vash._

Raise your arm and close your heart.


	5. never alone

**At least, with me, you'll never be alone**

As death was kind of Vash's constant companion, he'd never call him his friend. He was worried enough about the living, really. The priest's certainty that he was going to die disturbed him. Yeah, of course everyone died, but _somewhen. _With Wolfwood, it was like the man had it down to days, hours. Fear, wistfulness and a wayward acceptance mingled in his gaze, only to be replaced by a protective wall again. Preferably his shades.

Later, _too _late, with regret cutting deep, Vash realized that death stayed by his side but that it had actually been Wolfwood's friend all along.


	6. a means to an end

**It's still just**** a**** means to an end**

***

That he was on a planet of grit and gunsmoke, Vash had long since understood – after all, water was essential, but not for washing the blood off your hands.

Still, he chose to stick to principles. Therefore, being confronted with a certain run-down, badly-nourished priest, he couldn't ignore that –

"You are careless."

Wolfwood, however, didn't even care that he didn't care.

The priest obviously knew how to take care _of_ himself, but that didn't mean he cared _about_ himself. Vash would have to do that for him.

He'd prove to Knives that even in the middle of gunsmoke, principles worked. 


	7. last sunset

**Last sunset**

_What if this storm ends?_

_And I don't see you_

_As you are now_

_Ever again._

_The perfect halo_

_Of gold hair and lightning_

_Sets you off against_

_The planet's last dance_

"Stay." 

Vash turns, fingers just closing the last straps on his coat, body already turned towards the door. He eyes Wolfwood curiously. Wolfwood's sitting hunched over on the bed, smoking, with his back to him. "Stay," he says again. Whispers, almost. As if he's admitting something terrible. Something sad. 

Drawn back, Vash moves to stand in front of him, blocking the sunset. 

The priest stares up at him. Desperation? Vash has the sudden notion that he's running through prayers in his head. 

"Stay. As you are." 

But it's leaving time – thunder in the distance. It's ending.

A/N: Lyrics taken from the song "The Lightning Strike" by Snow Patrol.


	8. Murder Machine

**Murder Machine**

A/N: This is AU.

"He is perfect. " Knives stroked with his thumb over one unmoving, pitch-black iris in a mockingly loving gesture, then stepped back. 

With a nod, he ordered his puppet master to release the straps and let the power flow through the artificial limbs for the first time. 

"Why a priest, Sir?" 

Knives smiled darkly. "Because I have faith in him." _And I know someone __else who is going to have faith in him, too.__  
><em>

Intelligent, predatory eyes focused on him in absolute obedience. 

Smirking in satisfaction, Knives held out the pair of sunglasses. 

"Welcome, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. My Murder Machine."


	9. nothing left

**Nothing left**

That leaving Vash behind wouldn't be easy, he had known. Expected, even. What he hadn't anticipated was the sensation of emptiness overlaying even his overall burned-out feeling. 

The bartender seemed to have come to a similar conclusion. After giving him a quick once-over, he poured him a double shot. 

"Nothing left but faith, huh?"

At that, he managed a grin. Faith! The one thing that hadn't been there from the beginning. 

The only thing he was certain of was that Tongari would mourn him. 

He downed the first drink. 

Yeah, _that_ was all that was left: booze and lies.


	10. Mental Power

**The throes of Mental Power, or Do it for your Health**

A flash of fire, then he drags in the first breath of poison. 

Vash scowls, then decides it's finally enough. He fixes the priest with his Ultra Hard Stare Of Absolute Mental Power. A heartbeat later, he blinks in surprise. 

" 'If Vash ever kisses me, I'll stop smoking, period' ?! Seriously?"

The priest sputters, tries to say something, ends up coughing. 

_Smoking really is bad for peop__le,_Vash thinks. 

"Well, don't be a coward then and kiss me already! Do it for your health!" 

In desperation, Wolfwood throws a cat at him, then starts running. 

_Unromantic bastard, _Vash thinks.

A/N: There you have it. This happens, when I try to write fluff: Crack. o.O 


	11. Tell me

**Tell me, is that all we'll ever be?**

"Don't you ever get bored just with me," Vash asks while fixing his ridiculous hair up.

Wolfwood frowns.

"I mean, you've traveled. But you never seem to know, or try and get to know, anyone."

"...most I do is _fightin'_ and _runnin_', bonehead."

Vash pouts.

"That's not true! Well, not always. Yeah, you're kind of an ass, and you smoke too much, but you – "

"_Vash_."

"..."

"I'm just a man with a gun."

(_Leave it be_)

He heaves the Punisher up. Ready to go.

(It stands between them like a barrier)


	12. Through the devil's eyes

**See your soul through the devil's eyes**

Disclaimer: Title inspired by "Sinner's Prayer" – Sully Erna.

("If you could see yourself through my eyes now...")

The next morning, Wolfwood sits up on the bed with his back to you (always) and slides on his jacket, having slept in most of his clothes (always, and why is that, anyway?).

"You know, you might truly be _blind _after all," he says to you, briskly.

"I am _not _what you think you've seen."

He turns. Glares at you, threateningly. It's out of nowhere, the whole thing, though maybe not.

You smile. "'What you see is what you get', right?"

He stands and leaves, slamming the door shut.


End file.
